Reduction of an aromatic nitro group is generally effected by using Raney catalysts, such as Raney nickel, because of their high catalytic activity and inexpensiveness.
The inventors have attempted to obtain 2-(o-aminophenyl)ethanol by reducing 2-(o-nitrophenyl)ethanol in the presence of a Raney nickel catalyst. As a result, it has been turned out that the reaction rate attained is low even when starting with a distillation-purified 2-(o-nitrophenyl)ethanol. That is, it was proved that the Raney nickel catalyst exhibits a lower catalytic activity on this particular reduction reaction than on reduction reactions of other aromatic nitro compounds, e.g., nitrobenzene and nitrotoluene. In order to prepare 2-(o-aminophenyl)ethanol at low cost on an industrial scale, it has been therefore demanded to improve catalytic activity.